The delay in raising fish in the Hemavati Reservoir has hit the fishing community in and around Goruru in Hassan taluk very hard. Many fishermen, who are dependant on the dam for their earning, are now contemplating moving to other places for jobs. The Department of Fisheries, annually, lets fishlings into the dam and allows the fishermen, who obtain a licence from the department by paying a fixed fee, to fish within the dam limits. This year, the department has not yet let in the fishlings. Normally, fishlings are let into the dam around June-July. However, this year the department has not done that. With no fish in the dam, we have no option but to take up other works, said Raju, a fisherman at Shettihalli. Around 300 families residing in villages on the banks of the Hemavati backwaters do fishing. They are located in different groups along the backwaters. They put up temporary sheds and stay put on the banks during the fishing season. Last year, around 200 families got licences to fish. This year, so far only 50 have obtained licences. As fish is not available in the dam, the fishermen have lost hopes of good earnings this year. As a result, the number of people obtaining licences by paying Rs. 3,000 had also come down, said Mari Joseph, an activist who works for the welfare of fishermen community. A few families, who were in a camp at Siddapura in Alur taluk, have already moved to the coastal area. The delay in letting the fishlings into the dam has prompted the fishing community to doubt if the government is trying to privatise fishing in dams, as it was prevailing earlier. Harish Kumar, Senior Assistant Director (Fisheries), told The Hindu , There has been a delay in letting the fishlings into the dams across the State due to shortage in fishlings. The efforts to procure fishlings and raise them in the dams are going on. The officer denied the reports of privatising fishing in dams. The government’s policy is to allow fishermen to fish in the dams without the intervention of private parties. We are making efforts to form a committee of local people to raise fish in the dam. One meeting was already held in this regard, the officer added.